


With love, always.

by Xicana



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Arranged Marriage, Ambiguous/Open Ending, Angst and Feels, Class Differences, F/F, F/M, Hermione works for Bellatrix, Political Alliances, Short One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-30
Updated: 2020-12-30
Packaged: 2021-03-10 23:34:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,082
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28425564
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Xicana/pseuds/Xicana
Summary: What was she waiting for? Hermione never knew, but all it took was someone reaching out to snap out of it.
Relationships: Bellatrix Black Lestrange/Rodolphus Lestrange, Hermione Granger/Bellatrix Black Lestrange
Comments: 11
Kudos: 70





	With love, always.

**Author's Note:**

> I may consider adding to this universe. I'm content leaving this open-ended for the meantime, but I would love to hear what you all think!
> 
> Enjoy mistakes and all :)

Hermione stilled as her eyes connected with stormy grey across the room. Her breath halted, and she refused to entertain the discussion with the boy beside her. Although, as a handmaiden, it was expected for another servant to court her. The stare burning into her face prevented her from even entertaining a discussion with anyone. 

The room, grand in space, and also in presence, Hermione watched the crowd in attendance, baffled by them. The amount of prestige, insurmountable power one family alone could hold in society. 

On the far left sat the Lestranges. The family of French origin held their wealth dearly in search of minerals and gems in the South African region. 

In the middle were the Malfoys—a crowd of blonde heads with a firm grasp on the wildlife market. Peacocks a symbol of wealth for their house, but with no practical use for any person of the working class. The family sat upon all of their chairs as if on a throne—a pack of proud people.

In front of the entire room sat the family with the ability to bring gods to their knees—the origin of those steel grey eyes, jet black curls, and sharp cheekbones. 

Hermione watched closely as the young woman's blood-red lips pulled into a smirk. She wanted to turn away, but she knew the consequences of doing so would come to bite her in the evening. So she watched as the eldest daughter taunted her. 

All around those three powerhouse families sat other prestigious names, twenty-eight other families that carried all of the wealth in the entire land. All of their wealth built on the backs of non-generational lottery winners. People that lost the lottery of life and wound up in circumstances outside of their control. 

Bellatrix Black stood tall and proud as she sauntered down steps and toward the rest of the seating. Every step she took increased the brunette's heart rate. She knew the likelihood of her dancing with one of the heirs to the sacred twenty-eight exponentially rose with each movement. 

Her throat clenched when Bella's hand rose to sit on the open palm of Rudolphous Lestrange. 

Having seen enough, she looked away from the scene. 

From beside her, she heard the boy continue speaking, but completely exhausted. She ended their one-sided conversation. "Ted, I'd love to stay and chat, but I need to help with the cleaning." The young man nodded in understanding. She watched as he waved and slid into the back into the line of the waiting staff. 

Hermione ignored the feeling in her chest as she helped clean the tabletops. The sounds of whispers and mumbled speculation about the two gorgeous people dancing on the floor traveled into her ear. The emotions she promised to bottle threatened to bubble over. Furious, she snapped when a hand wrapped itself around her wrist. 

"Miss," pink lips pulled into an amused thin line, "are you planning on sparking a flame?" Hermione looked down and realized she had indeed wiped the area furiously. The specific spot on the wood lighter than the rest. She'd wiped the protective polish clean off. 

Cheeks now pink, she stammered out a quick apology. "I'm sorry." Striking blue eyes pierced right through her angry haze. 

"It's alright, sweetheart." Hermione felt her cheeks flush again. Calculative blue eyes roamed across the petite brunette. "What's your name?" Thin lips pursed. 

Her lips parted at the question. "Hermione." 

Perfect white teeth flashed. "I'm Katherine." Hermione wracked her memory for the last name but came up empty. "Feel free to call me Katie. It's nice to meet you, Hermione." 

The brunette ducked her head and tried to roll with the encounter. The likelihood of any guest speaking to the help was minimal. So Hermione honestly didn't know what to do at that moment. 

When her sight ducked along with her head, her eyes widened. The girl's hand remained clasped around her wrist. She wanted to retract her arm, but she couldn't without appearing aggressive. "Did you need something else, Miss?" 

"Would you mind accompanying me to the restroom? I need help with this ridiculous dress." Hermione nodded and relaxed when the hand around her wrist left. Only to tense up again when the woman placed her hand in the crook of her elbow. 

As she led the way to their facilities, she glanced around in search of stormy eyes. However, her heart dropped when she noticed the duo's absence from the floor. 

"Looking for someone else?" 

"Oh, no, Miss." She shook her head out. "I am making sure my mistress doesn't require my assistance." 

"You're a handmaiden for the Black family." Blue eyes inspected her reaction. "I thought you looked familiar. How long have you been with the eldest?" 

Hermione turned the corner and continued a few steps in silence before she chose to respond. "Since I was old enough to understand my role." 

Katherine thanked her for the help, and Hermione took her chance to leave. 

The manor instilled fear in the brunette. Bone-chilling nausea that festered in Hermione's stomach rolled in waves along her insides. The social expectations loomed over the inhabitants, inescapable. 

With a sigh, Hermione made her way to the bedroom. Most likely, Bellatrix would expect her to prepare her typical after party routine. Nothing prepared her for the moment she approached the door and noticed the bolt in place. 

Her blood ran cold, and her breathing ceased. She stood there for minutes, completely unsure whether she should confront her worst fears or leave without knowing. 

Heart pounding, she leaned against the wooden frame near the crack of the door. The pounding pulse rang in her ears, but much to her fear, it wasn't enough to mask the sounds. 

Soft moans she knew like the back of her hand. 

Noises, reserved for her ears only, sounded through the door. However, instead of mingling with her own, the cries intermingled with harsh grunts. 

She knew it would happen eventually, but then again, she didn't. Her heart truly felt dead, as if that alone killed her spirit. Not the fact that she'd lost the birth lottery and inherited a servant role destined to remain lowly. No, what truly killed her were the sounds confirming her worst fears behind the door. 

Hermione's tears flowed as she sat outside the door in the dim-lit passage. Her shoulders shook with contained sobs. 

Heels clicked against the stone floors as the person approached. She expected the person to continue, but a hand on her shoulder pulled her into their embrace, told her otherwise. Face buried in a familiar mess of curls, auburn instead of black, she clutched onto fabric. 

"Hermione, it'll be alright." 

She wished it would be, but it felt like the end. 

A hand gently tilted her head back. She looked into kind brown eyes. "Ted told me you'd be here." Confused, she just waited. "He saw them leave the party together." Hermione sniffled as Andromeda wiped her tear blotched face. 

"I need help out of my dress." Hermione followed after her. Heart left smothered on the floor where she sat. 

In her chambers, Andromeda watched with a careful eye as Hermione's lively eyes looked dull, her ordinarily rosy cheeks dead. Her disdain for her older sister tripled. 

"Hermione, can you keep a secret?" Dull brown eyes looked up from brushing through her still wet hair. "I'm going to tell you something, but you have to promise me you won't say a word." 

Through the reflection, Hermione nodded. 

"I'm accepting James' proposal." Hermione looked up. What would that mean for Ted? Would he fall victim to the same heartbreak she felt? 

"What about Ted?" 

"I'm taking him with me." Hermione's brows furrowed in anger. Who was she kidding in believing not all three sisters were morbid. "I'm also taking Lily." She waited for her to continue as she brushed her hair, actively trying to reign in her frustration from ripping her roots. 

"James and I are going to do this to remain in the graces of our families, but we will not do anything with one another." Hermione felt like Andromeda's words rubbed salt in her wounds. She was willing to involve her lover in the planning and, in fact, counted him as her equal. 

"Hermione, I can take you with me and give you freedom." 

She felt her emotions rise. 

_How?_

The silent question hung between them. The eldest daughter held a soft spot for the tiny brunette but refused to admit it. Their intimacy shrugged off as a thing of convenience. Yet, she refused to relinquish her hold on the brunette. 

"We don't tell her." Hermione felt a rush run through her. The mere idea of leaving the dreadful mansion without the tight binds on her wrists sent a thrill up her spine. "My father said I could take whoever I'd like to, and if you say the words, I'll bring you." 

Hermione wanted to justify staying. She even tried to argue she couldn't leave Bellatrix alone when the sounds from earlier echoed in her mind. 

"Please," was all she managed to get out. 

~~~

~~

~

Hermione tried her best to avoid spending time alone with the girl. It seemed like Bellatrix honestly did not care or mind. However, she appeared attuned to her fluctuating mood swings. 

A week after the event, Bellatrix cornered her. 

A cold hand rested on her neck before it began to fiddle with the hairs on the nape. Hot air blew into her ear, "stay with me tonight?" Hermione felt her anger surge. She avoided staying in bed for many reasons, but for Bellatrix to act as if nothing was out of the ordinary infuriated her. As if she didn't sleep with another man in the place they'd spent endless nights. 

Hermione continued fixing her duvet to her liking as if she hadn't heard her. However, the girl moved directly behind her and spun her. Face to face with the person she cared about the most rendered her stupid. 

Staring at the girl, she knew her only choice was to leave because she'd gladly sit by Bella's side while she married and had children. How pathetic.

That night she lay awake beside a softly snoring Bellatrix. Her wild and unruly curls strewn across the pillows. The soft pale skin of her back, exposed to the room, reflected the moonlight. Black bold eyebrows furrowed in her deep sleep. Hermione wanted to soothe them out. A habit she possessed due to years working as her handmaiden, or maybe because of her time spent as her confidant. 

She remembered the first few years—Bella's horrid mistreatment of her staff. The expectation for the eldest daughter to do the same to the tiny brunette. However, the fourteen-year-old couldn't bring herself to treat her as such. The petite twelve-year-old must've struck a chord within Bella because of the blatant difference in treatment she received compared to the others. Most would say Bella went so far as to indulge her. 

Hermione chuckled darkly to herself. ' _I_ _'m her favorite plaything she has yet to outgrow.'_

With one last glance at the sleeping figure, she gently lifted the arm from on top of her middle. Holding her breath, Hermione slid off the bed and landed on the pads of her feet to avoid making any noise. Putting on her uniform from earlier, she reached into the fabric to pull a letter from its folds. 

She placed the sealed letter on her spot in the bed with shakey hands. 

Hermione couldn't believe their time had ended. Well, she could, but she didn't want to consider it. 

They'd spent all of their adolescence with one another. Hermione knew the time would come, but it didn't make it any easier. Andromeda marrying to accommodate Ted better only added insult to her injury. It confirmed to Hermione that whatever emotions she felt were entirely projected onto the eldest daughter. 

Hermione sat across from an ecstatic Ted and Andromeda. The couple kissed soundly through their shared tears as the distance between Black manor and the carriage grew. She looked away, fearful she would break out into tears as well. Only her's more bitter than sweet. 

Lily shot her a gentle smile before placing her hand atop hers on the seat. "We're on to better things." Hermione wanted to snap at her. To yell and say better for who, but the gentle smile took the fight from her limbs. So she just deflated and nodded in gratitude. 


End file.
